Automatic sprinkler valve



May 2, 1950 H. N. RlDER AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER VALVE Filed May 13, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY- f/arry /1 Ede/1 INVENTOR.

M y 1950 H. N. RIDER 2,506,468

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER VALVE Filed May 15, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ema I" VI in M ll m u INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented May 2, 1950 AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER VALVE Harry N. Rider, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Automatic Sprinkler Corporation of America, Youngstown, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware Application May 13, 1947, Serial No. 747,805

4 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic sprinkler systems for fire protection purposes and more particularly to an automatic valve forming the control element for the fire extinguishing fluid in an automatic sprinkler system.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an automatic valve which may be incorporated in a dry pipe sprinkler system, a preaction sprinkler system, a deluge type sprinkler system or a thermostatically actuated rate-ofrise sprinkler system.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an automatic valve which incorporates novel means for holding the clapper thereof in normally closed position.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an automatic valve for a sprinkler system and incorporating novel pilot valve mechanism therein.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an automatic valve for a sprinkler system which may be modified for installation in various types of automatic sprinkler systems by the substitution of various actuating mechanisms, any and all of which are capable of actuating the mechanism of the automatic valve.

The automatic valve for sprinkler systems shown and described herein has been designed to provide a universal type valve which may be generally employed in dry pipe sprinkler systems in which the distributing piping of the automatic sprinkler system is either empty or normally filled with supervisory air pressure. The automatic valve is equally capable of installation and satisfactory operation in a preaction type sprinkler system in which thermostatic means is employed for actuating the automatic valve in advance of the opening of the automatic sprinklers on the distributing piping.

The automatic valve is also capable of installation and elficient operation in connection with a rate-of-rise deluge type sprinkler system in which a separate thermostatic system is used to actuate the valve and in which the sprinklers on the distributing-piping are always open.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the fire protection art that an automatic valve capable of installation and satisfactory operation in several types of automatic sprinkler systems is novel in the art and highly desirable, as it enables the realization of substantial savings in manufacturing operations, as the one valve may be manufactured and used in all of the sprinkler systems, the actuating means only being changed in the several types of systems. I

As disclosed herein, the automatic valve is illustrated in connection with a low air pressure dry pipe sprinkler system although it may be equally advantageously employed in preaction, deluge and rate-of-rise actuated sprinkler systems as well.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of the automatic sprinkler valve.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross section taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front view of the automatic valve shown in Figures 1 and 2 and an associated low air pressure dry pipe sprinkler actuating means, portions of the view being broken away and parts thereof in cross section.

B'y referring to the drawings and Figures 1 and 2 in particular, it will be seen that the automatic valve comprising a body l0 has been disclosed in normal operative position between a gate valve II and a riser I2, the gate valve ll also being in communication with a fluid supply source, not shown, and the riser I2 being in communication with and forming a part of the distributing piping of an automatic sprinkler system.

The automatic valve has a plurality of access opening covers 13, I4 and I5, respectively, two of which, the access opening covers l3 and I5, are secured to the valve body It in registry with access openings therein by means of a plurality of stud and nut assemblies 16 and [8, respectively, the access cover 14 being secured. by a plurality of cap screws ll. Gaskets I9, 20 and 2| insure the water-tight positioning of the access covers l3, l4 and J5, respectively and in connection with the valve body In form a water-tight enclosure in which a clapper 22 is pivotally positioned by means of a hinge pin 23. The clapper 22 is provided on its lowermost face with an annular cross sectionally U-shaped self-sealing gasket 24 which is adapted to register with an inlet ring 25 forming the inlet orifice of the automatic valve.

A plurality of bosses '26 are formed on the inner surface of the valve body l0 and are adapted to register with a hinged arm 21 on the clapper 22 so as to prevent the clapper 22 from reseating once it has opened. The clapper 22 is also provided with a latch projection 28 so positioned that it clears the bosses 28 when the clapper 22 opens and pivots about the hinge pin 23 and provides means upon which a pivotedflatch member 29 may he engaged when the clapper 22 is in closed position with respect to the inlet ring 25. latch member 29 is pivotally mounted in the valve body l9 adjacent the clapper 22 by means of 'a pivot pin 39. A latch link .is pivotally afiixed to the latch member 29 bym eans of a pivottpin 32 and is also afiixed to the inner adjustably p sitioned end of a diaphragm engaging secondary" latch link 33 by means of a secondary, pivot pin 3 The diaphragm engaginglatch link 33 is passed through an opening in a diaphragm'35 and secured thereto to lform a water-tight closure w I SneCttQthesa d nen ns nthe. diap r 35, The pp si eend ithedhnMasm e a latchlink 33 extendsoutwardly through an opening in the access opening, cover J4 and has a pair of, annular flanges, formed thereon so that longitudinal motion may be impartedthereto by means suitable for, engagement therewith between the said annular flanges 36. p

It will thus be seen that the diaphragm 35 and the diaphragm engaging latch link SB comprise means by whichmotionlfrom, the exteriorof the valvebody 19 may be conveyed to the te o 1 of thevalve body lllandat the sametime maintain a wateretight closure with respect thereto.

It will be obvious .totthose skilled in the art that several. forms of. releasin devices may. be ployed for imparting motion to the diaphragm engaging. latch link 33-50; as tolmove it andthe latch link 3| and latch member 29 away fromthe t projection .28 on thepclappertn when it is desired to unlatch and thereby open the said automatic valve; n

1. Byrreferringito fipjoflthe drawings in particular, thevforegoing mechanical latch members may be most advantageously seen and it will also bewobserved thata pilot valve mechan m c rs rated in e, va e: y t s operated by.the l pp rrun a chi me ani e- ,toiore described. 'Ijhe pilot valve mechanism ineludes an inlet orificeSland anoutlet orifice 38 and a valve seat 39 disposed in theinlet orifice e and extending into a pilot valve chamber 48 with I which the outlet orifice ,38;communicates.- flhe p ot valve chamber 46.15 m d th J E VQDQ Y I'D and isclosedwithrespect thereto by a threaded .plug iLwhich is provided with a centrally by means ofta pivot pin 41 andhas oneend thereof looselyv engaging the valve rod-43 between the spaced annular flanges 45 and theotherend thereof lyingv adjacenta projection 48 on the latch member zfliheretoforereferred .to.

It will thus be seenthat when .the latch member,

29 is in engagement rwithlthe projection .28.of

- theclapper 22' so-as'to hold the clapper 22 in closed position on the inlet ring 25 of the 'auto- .matic valve, the projection 48 onthe latch m.m her. 2 a will move.upwardlyland outwardly; against the upper end of the pivoted lever 46 and hence ,casioned,, for example; by

impart inward movement to the opposite end thereof and hence to the valve rod 43 so that the valve element 44 registers with the seat ring 39 and thereby closes the inlet orifice 31 to the pilot valve chamber 49. A bellows 4% is affixed to the valve element 44 an ethe. threaded plug 4 to jpiro'vide' a fyvater-tight flle' xible connection between the valve element 44 and/or the valve rod 43 and the plug 4|.

It will thus be seen that at such time as motion is impartedto-the valve operating mechanism to 7 move the latch mechanism to the right as shown Figure z qf the; drawings, and thereby move the latch'. mem ber out of engagement with the projectionifiioithe clapper 22, the projection 48 on the latch megnber 29 will move downwardly "and out of engagement with the pivoted lever 46 andithus permit fluid pressure in the inlet 31 of the pilot valve to move the valve member 44 to w the r ght-a sh wn i Figure 259 th aw afid henceestablish communication with thpilot valve'outlet'orificefis he tof'ore referred to, In "aerial jjsp'rinklers' emi'practice "a motor alarm is in "'omm' Jet O fice 33 an W corporated in' this" c, a I to oriri place of the'water. r alarniarifl'ectricalsignal'aucl asdes'ir'ed;nfleyfbe I given at such time c pper 22in the um matic valve is unlatched aiidbpeined byiluid pressure in theinlet thereof.

J, I w llh i ise r lt fe a a es ar v0 t cla per element 44am of simplel forn ationi v a aw nf1 wei qubleairee fie'isls rationa more tha they are, all ac i e 0 Bet initia asse b y-c. nd ub equent I resetting operations by the conven ehtlypla'ced access opening covers l3, l4 anddfi'lieretofore sier eq v .Thelf reso ps des in n .;t e, e tqmei v ve il e ableuthos ski ed. in e .Q fi protec ion o. revcosc zethe ssvsr lgzidrae es an o nts q lnov vin th disc o ed va es c ture d its abi trto, lie-in a ce a in. sever tr fie ente vnesio aut at a de e lasaee amp qi th ,an e tsliense ili {of h a Qm ticr We he e n qlg d.wiih r spec t v r ous sp nkl smsn tli en l stra in l su es a d 3 cu e aw .i e r i ea aneemecifl h algwiv irl; te wa e! Pi spri kl s em alve a t s-.1mss eci mflr snqns v tug-lo s tzlpvain re m n test .thiam ne. i siqiihe pr kle .7 tam p enins. 9 mor 1 e; utomatic speck ed. la q ni iri cation; with; thesaid distributing piping of such a prinkler system. 1 l

filiat iin addition ii willbe semina .therap ut cssl hamsmsneaee th d a hra m en agin at .1 33 of the automatic valve asheretoforefl v ribed, b ee tween the spac d ann lar: l ng s, 3 -.,ther on.. in a manner so that suitablemovement maybe imp rte th qanchen eterns. t -mem r 29 to enable; it to be disengaged irom the rejection 28 orpthe appe 22. of the tqmat tva f .L. l

,iInFigures l amid or. th draw n s t asse cover, plate Mis illus rate t w ll beobserv byv r ferr n th r to tha may o p c dg w iec insvar s 5 are o med he eqnlone n ea sidecoi hen rqi stine; iaphra m en a in latch u h n .the eb lcvso wattle-sh red str king lever 5| may bep ed to hearmsfiQas-by a pivot pin 52 and so that it engages the diaphragm engaging latch link 33-by means of the spaced annular flanges 36 thereon as inturned end portions 53 of the striking lever 5 l are positioned therebetween. The outermost end 54 of the striking lever is bifurcated and has a pivot pin 55 positioned transversely thereof and engaged with the lower end of a weight guide rod 56. The said guide rod 56 is positioned vertically in a housing 51 which in turn is afiixed to the valve body ID by a plurality of bolts 58 which engage the valve body lll immediately about the periphery of the access cover 14 heretofore referred to. The housing 51 slidably supports the upper end of the guide rod 56 in a bushing 59 and a weight 60 is slidably positioned on the guide rod 56 and normally held in elevated relation thereon and with respect to the striking arm 5 i.

The center portion of the weight 66 is cut away so that when it drops downwardly along the weight guide rod 56 a striking plate 6| of the weight engages the bifurcated end 54 of the striking lever 5i. Means for normally sustaining the weight 60 in the housing 51 and in elevated relation on the weight guide rod 56 is provided and is illustrated in detail in Figure 3 of the drawings and comprises an improvement over that shown in my patent on Dry pipe valve, Patent Number 2,251,422, issued August 5, 1941. The releasing mechanism includes an air pressure chamber 62 formed by a pair of oppositely disposed body portions 63 and 64 which are united with one another in opposed relation and attached to the housing 51 by means of a plurality of cap screws 65. The body member 64 has a circular opening therein and an annular flange 66 thereabout, the inner surface of which is threaded and adapted to receive a threaded adjustment member 61. The diaphragm is positioned in the chamber 62 and across the opening in the body member 64 and is normally urged toward the opening by reason of air pressure in the chamber 62 which is in communication with the riser of a dry pipe sprinkler system by Way of an orifice 69. A coil spring is positioned between the adjusting member 61 and a re-enforcing plate H on the back of the diaphragm 68 and a latch rod 12 is aflixed to the diaphragm 68 and the re-enforcing plate (I and extends through the coil spring 16 and an opening in the adjustment member 6'! and outwardly therefrom wherein an adjustable tip portion 13 thereof serves as a detent in restraining a pivoted lever 14. The pivoted lever 14 is pivotally mounted between a pair of arms formed on the body member 64 and a portion of the pivoted lever 14 registers with a spring urged latch 16 which in turn is pivoted by means of a pivot pin 11 to the weight 60.

Thus, loss of air pressure, for example one and one-half or two pounds from the distributing piping of a dry pipe sprinkler system (not shown) in communication with the chamber 62 as oocasioned by the fusing of an automatic sprinkler on the dry pipe sprinkler system permits the coil spring 10 to move the diaphragm 68 and its supporting plate ll inwardly of the chamber 62 so as to slide the latch rod 12 longitudinally,to the left in Figure 3, and thereby permit the pivoted lever 14 to turn clockwise about its pivot and thus release the spring urged latch 16 and hence the weight 60. The weight 60 in dropping will strike the bifurcated end section 54 of the striking lever 5| and impart the necessary motion to the valve unlatching mechanism heretofore described.

In resetting the valve and its dry pipe operating mechanism, as described herein as an example 'of one of its uses, it is necessary to close the gate valve II, open the access cover l3 of the valve and reseat the clapper 22 thereof. When this is done, the pilot valve member 44 will be automatically closed as heretofore described and suitable air pressure may again be established in the distributing piping of the associated sprinkler system when the fused sprinklers are replaced.

,When the desired air pressure is restored, the

weight 60 may be re-engaged upon the pivoted lever 14 and upon the reopening of the gate valve II, the sprinkler system and automatic valve therein is again ready for operation.

It will thus be seen that the automatic valve disclosed herein is capable of simple and eflicient operation in a low air pressure dry pipe sprinkler system and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is equally adaptable to and efiicient in use in various thermostatically actuated sprinkler systems of either the preaction or deluge type wherein the actuating mechanism herein disclosed is not employed and a diiferent form of weight releasing device, such as known in the art is employed by attaching the same to the valve in the manner of the weight releasing mechanism herein disclosed.

It will be equally apparent to those skilled in the art that the several objects of the invention are met by the automatic valve disclosed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a valve for an automatic sprinkler system comprising a valve body having a clapper hinged therein adapted to close a water inlet therein and a movable latch member for maintaining the clapper in closed position; a pilot valve in said valve body and a pivoted lever operatively engaging the said pilot valve and the said latch member for opening the said pilot valve when the said latch member is moved to release the said clapper.

2. In a valve for an automatic sprinkler system comprising a valve body having a clapper hinged therein adapted to close a water inlet therein and a movable latch member for maintaining the clapper in closed position; a pilot valve in said valve body and a pivoted lever operatively engaging the said pilot valve and the said latch member for opening the said pilot valve when the said latch member is moved to release the said clapper, and means for transmitting motion from the exterior of the said valve body to the said latch member, said means including a diaphragm forming a wall of the said valve body and movable means aflixed to said diaphragm and to said latch member.

3. In an automatic valve for a sprinkler system comprising a valve body having a clapper hinged therein adapted to close a water inlet therein and movable latch means for normally maintaining the clapper in closed position; a pilot valve chamber formed in said valve body and a pilot valve inlet establishing communication between the said water inlet and the pilot valve chamber, and a pilot valve outlet establishing communication between the said pilot valve chamber and the exterior of the said valve body, a valve element in said pilot valve chamber, a pivoted lever in said valve body engaging said movable latch means and said valve element for operating the said valve element when the said latch means is moved.

4. In an automatic valve for a sprinkler system and comprising a valve body having a clapper hinged therein adapted to close a water inlet therein and movable latch means for normally 

